Average comedy/drama

Dysfunctional family comedy-dramas have developed into an unusual beast over recent years. After the rowdy success of Little Miss Sunshine, it appears that filmmakers have grown relatively inspired to replicate the charm and quality of that memorable 2006 screen gem. Smart People is one of these recent attempts. Unfortunately, the wrong creative team were pulled onto the project: screenwriter Mark Jude Poirer had never scripted a feature film before, and director Noam Murro hadn't directed one.

The central problem is that the film concentrates too extensively on the 'smart' without focusing on the 'heart'. Poirer adds various offbeat and oddball elements into the film, as well as smart scenes and smart lines. It's lacking both charm and energy. The interesting characters, as well, are never treated properly. Despite the presence of an ideal cast, they never let us in. We're unexpectedly thrown into a world of eccentric characters as if we're already supposed to know them. Consequently, things get very boring very quickly and we seldom feel for the characters. No charisma, no memorable laughs, and no point!

Lawrence Wetherhold (Quaid) is a self-absorbed English professor specialising in Victorian literature. He may be intelligent, but he's an appalling teacher deficient of passion and his students detest him. Moreover, when it comes to love and family he's completely bewildered. He's been lonely since his wife died many years ago, is anti-social, has drifted away from his college-aged children, and hates his brother Chuck (Church) whom he insists on describing with the adjective "adopted". Coincidentally, practically everyone he meets is a former student of his who have bad memories of his teaching. Following a head injury, Lawrence meets young physician (and former student of his) Janet Hartigan (Parker) whom he predictably falls for. Meanwhile, Lawrence's brother Chuck turns up for an unexpected stay.

Smart People is a straightforward, reasonably predictable drama/comedy hybrid. The laughs are unfortunately quite trifling and never are there any laugh-out-loud moments. Worse yet, nothing is particularly memorable. Curiously, the material is rarely convincing as well. I mean, the town is supposedly dominated by Lawrence's ex-students. Isn't Pittsburgh a large place? And moreover how can so many former students actually remember him after so many years? Why would an ex-student be so quick to jump into bed with him? These are instances when the screenwriter isn't displaying any smartness.

Like I previously mentioned, I frequently found the film irretrievably boring. The central idea of brainiacs possessing deficient emotional IQs only goes so far. Usually in the genre we expect a massive moral wake-up or a character revelation. It's too subtle and inadequate for us to notice or care about. The clichés can't be avoided either. Of course there's the unplanned pregnancy, the predictable love story with the conventional problems, and even worse is the characters learning to respect each other. Usually this makes for feel-good viewing, but it isn't handled well. More invasive is the soundtrack, composed by Aussie Suze DeMarchi and hubby. The tracks themselves are fine...the problem is that they're slathered over every scene: overbearing and booming over the actors' lines.

One of the film's redeeming features is the ideal cast (for the most part). Dennis Quaid isn't too bad. Sometimes he fails to engage us, but this is attributed to the poor screenplay.
Ellen Page recaps her Juno performance, except less impressive: she's as sharp as a knife; however she isn't hip or energetic enough. She's idyllic for the role...the flaws are just in the way her character was written.
Sarah Jessica Parker is truly appalling. She's aged since her Sex and the City days and isn't convincing nor charming. I have no idea why she keeps acting.
Thomas Hayden Church and Ashton Holmes are impeccable but misused.

Overall, Smart People didn't live up to its potential. There are some creative concepts marred by lack of heart or appeal. It frequently plods and should have been tighter for an elevated entertainment value.

5.8/10